My one shots that I Most likely stole from much better authors
by Alvor the Warhawk
Summary: These are the ideas I've inevitably ripped off from more talented people. You should go read them. Really. These are mostly one shots. Probably won't have too many. I'm rather lazy. M rated because I 'm, again, lazy and figure I should be safe rather than sorry.
1. Edgy Fight: Naruto

**Just a one shot I blatantly stole from Crimson-Wyvern attempt at a serious, technically intensive fight scene. He did the good bits, I did the Fun bits. And, yes, I am proud of what I did here.**

Naruto blocked the incoming kunai. Effortlessly twirling his naginata as he scattered the knives, throwing them off course and into nearby trees. Yet his eyes never left the blonde man standing before him.

The similarity was uncanny. They had the same hair and the same eyes and yet he could tell the Yondaime had a sharper look to him in contrast to Naruto's own fierce expression. Naruto supposed he had gotten his proportions from his mother.

He blinked and the man disappeared from his view, but not from his senses.

 **"Toragaeshi (Tiger Return)!"** Naruto spun on his heels and delivered a single swing with his naginata, releasing a wave of pressure and successfully blowing away the trees surrounding, the pronged kunai as well as the Yellow Flash himself.

The result was a makeshift clearing of sorts. His attack had uprooted several trees and cleared the area around himself, forming a perimeter of at least twenty feet.

As expected, the Yellow Flash was back to his original position. His eyes carried a certain wariness now. Likely because he had been able to predict his movements but also answer in kind.

He was no longer a simple obstacle, but a threat.

"You have good reflexes." His opponent commented.

"Thank you." Naruto smirked underneath his mask.

He knew what his father was doing. The older blond was assessing his weaknesses, trying to find an opening to exploit. Since his earlier attack had scattered the marked kunai his father wouldn't be able to attack from up close.

As long as he kept Minato at a distance his sensory techniques would allow him to keep the advantage.

 **"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)!"**

Of course, the liberal abuse of that particular technique rendered most plans moot.

Where once stood once man, now stood three.

The exact same number as the kunai he had thrown at him earlier. Naruto had to give his old man some credit, he did seem to think ahead when it came to battle. He took a deep breath, extending his senses outward.

The trio vanished.

They were likely surrounding him, using the kunai he had scattered to move outside the safe zone he had created to plant more marks.

A slight change in the air was all warning he got as a clone blitzed him, using the body flicker to swiftly cover the distance between the forest and the clearing.

Naruto turned swiftly, using the blunt end of the naginata to bash the clone back.

It didn't pop. But vanish in a yellow flash.

Was that the real one?

Another one came from the right, aiming to slash at him with a kunai. He responded in kind, using the blade the parry the blow before delivering a swift kick.

He vanished as well.

Something was wrong.

Normally the shadow clone technique was unsuitable for usage on the battlefield, being far better for scouting and espionage. However they were extremely fragile, popping after being hit with enough force.

Naruto could tell he was fighting clones. For one, this Minato did not have any marks or show any sign of pain from being hit with his weapon.

They came at him again and again, attacking him from the different angles but always one at a time.

He sighed.

"This is getting us nowhere."

"Are you so sure of it? After all, I have the advantage." The answer came from all around him, probably an attempt at intimidation

"You're wrong." And they both knew that.

No matter how many directions his father could attack from, all Naruto had to do was stay where he was and the man's usual blitz strategy wouldn't work.

We were in a stalemate.

A clone came out of the tree line, and just like before he countered. What he didn't expect was for a second clone to flash right on top of the first.

'Shit, he marked the clones!' _  
_  
He grit his teeth and felt the familiar sensation of yang chakra burn through his limbs, allowing him to sidestep the following slash. Naruto quickly responded, putting all of his body's weight behind the next slash.

 **"Toragiri (Tiger Cut)!"**

He felt the blade of pressure leave his weapon and noted with satisfaction that the clone had been bisected, finally popping out of existence. Unfortunately, the first clone vanished before he could deal with it.

 _'He won that round.'_ Tamamo commented, getting his eyebrow to twitch in aggravation.

'It was a tie.' But he knew it didn't matter. The future Hokage now knew he could make him move away from the center, and all Naruto got in exchange was that the certainty that the clones had indeed been reinforced somehow.

 _'Fuinjutsu. There were seals on the clones.'_ Before the kitsune could go in detail he felt a disturbance in the air.

Two clones flashed right in front of him.

Deciding to be cheeky, Naruto slammed his foot into the ground in front. No jutsu, just pure will and earth chakra. And for his trouble, he got a nice solid pillar of stone, about 20 meters across, for his trouble.

Under normal circumstances, that would be a waste of chakra. For someone like Naruto, the half second it took for the clones to jump to the top of the pillar was all the time it took for Naruto to even the battlefield.

And by even the battlefield, he meant absolutely crush his father.

Fully two dozen shadow clones surrounded and promptly beat the pair of opposing blonds to nonexistence. It was brutal. Naruto thought it was funny.

 _'_ _Danna, don't play with your father. He's a very,_ _ **very**_ _dangerous man.'_

'Heh. Just you watch.'

"So, old man, is that _really_ all you got? 'Cause if so, here I come! **TAJUU KAGE BUNSHIN!** "

Smoke enveloped their clearing. Somewhere, off of stage left, a man shouted and traditional drum music began to play. A thousand Naruto's stood in perfect formation.

"Let me show you the Will of Fire that burns in the heart of the Great Shadow! All clones, attack pattern 4, go!"

At once the formation rippled and out of it came a volley of A rank jutsu. Each technique consumed a clone, but a hundred such techniques leveled a huge swath of terrain around them. 'Coincidently', that much chakra would have destroyed any and all markers his old man had placed.

Before the smoke had even cleared the second and third waves had already mobilized. Two hundred clones had begun a mad dash outwards, each one ready to crush or kill anything that came at them while another two hundred dropped beneath the ground or into the air.

The Earth and Sky rippled as the army of black clad, naginata wielding warriors rampaged forward.

In front of them, easily half a kilometer back, a single ANBU, holding a pair of tri pronged kunai, stood perfectly silhouetted in the moonlight. Without so much as a twitch the pair of kunai seemed to launch themselves at the onrushing horde. With a single handsign, the ram, the kunai became thousands.

The clones, seeing certain death coming for them unleashed their chakra in a massive volley of wind natured chakra, destroying or disrupting the vast majority of the kunai, exhausting almost all of their chakra.

When the few remaining blades struck true the last of the earth bound clones were destroyed. Still, the flying clones and those safely hidden beneath the earth continued on. With a hidden smirk, Minato pulsed his chakra. The remaining clones didn't even have a chance to blink as every single remaining kunai exploded with the force of a dozen explosive tags.

As the dust cleared, Minato almost fainted at the sight he saw. Five hundred shadow clones, each having a fully formed, clearly elemental rasengan in their hands. He saw at least a dozen releases involved. It was….sobering that such power existed. Still, he would do his duty! And he would know neither fear nor respite, for he was ANBU, better than the best! ….And also Kushina-chan would probably beat the shit out of him if he came home too wounded.

Now standing with the resolve of a man committed to death, who had already died, Minato prepared himself for the greatest battle of his life! A true bushi and shinobi was he! One who fought as if life itself held no value, only the honor and glory of his sacrifice!

Taking a deep breath he began to mold his chakra, watching as the swarm of clones began to close in on him. With one last pulse, two reinforced shadow clones formed. The eyes of all three men like steel. The launched themselves forward.

With a roar a red aura formed around all three, clones and master alike. Their speed increased not only exponentially, but to the point the clones had difficulty tracking their movements. Still, they were legion, and he was only three!

Naruto was amazed at his father. This was the future Hokage, his future father! How could such a man have ever fallen!? Still, he had to laugh. He _had_ escalated. He'd also been the one to start this particular fight. And now, now he'd take it even farther.

Naruto called upon all the nature energy he could, entering Sage mode in naught but a moment. His eyes began to glow amber, pupils turning slit and burning with a roaring flame, red-orange fang marking forming on his face and around his eyes. Nine Gudōdama formed behind him and an energy cloak formed around him. Clouds formed in the sky and lightning began to flash. Susanoo himself began to cry out at the furious battle yet to truly begin!

Namikaze Minato couldn't believe what he was feeling. Such energy and power to surpass anything he'd felt before. Even as he and his clones struck down dozens of their foes with each clash he knew this battle would take everything he had. With a nod between him and his clones they knew what had to be done.

One clone, the one that had taken the right flank, pushed itself past the seventh gate, taking on a flickering black aura and ripping through their foe, even as huge swathes of land were turned to glass and lava all around it, the rasengan losing integrity with the death of their wielders.

He and his other clone leapt back, many, many meters away from the ongoing battle, and knelt to the ground. They knew what needed to be done, and with only about thirty seconds of meditation, and the popping of the second clone, he stood up. His aura had dramatically changed. His eyes glowed with an orange fire smoldering in his face and the blackened aura around him caused the earth to warp and distort.

Both warriors looked at the other. An unspoken connection formed. The bond of true warriors who knew what had to happen. Only one would stand victorious this day!

Both popped their remaining clones. Both leapt forward.

When their strikes met their collision caused an explosion of force and wind so great a crater had formed around them. Naruto stood on air, trusting the Six Paths Sage Mode to keep him afloat. Minato simply flickered, sub consciously using the hiraishin and the sensory abilities of senjutsu to keep himself perfectly level with his son.

They both smirked.

Their second clash was far more intense, though the blast back was much, much smaller. Whereas before they'd engaged with massive blows, intending to cripple or destroy the other, now the lashed out with a thousand, thousand small blows. Each flickered in and out of reality, striking out, aiming for fatal blows, each knowing that single mistake would mean death or dismemberment.

This continued on for a time, neither warrior showing exhaustion, but both knew this clash would lead them nowhere. With a telepathic order, all of Naruto's truth seeking balls flew out, moving in groups of three. Each group individually charged an incredibly powerful elemental jutsu. Minato, having previously been simply keeping up with the insane speed of his opponent, dodged behind each cluster and struck them with fully charged, senjutsu infused rasengan.

The explosion was, to both Minato's and Naruto's immense chagrin, nearly fatal.

Naruto had been preparing the equivalent of multiple S rank jutsu in each ball. Minato violently destroyed all of them. More or less simultaneously. Of course, opposing sources of nature chakra simply enhanced the stupidly large explosion even further.

Both men stood tall. Each staring at the other. From opposite sides of a smoldering crater. Both took a moment to thank their teachers that they'd learned a technique that let them move faster than light. Quite broken, really. Especially when compared to the average shinobi. Still, thems the breaks.

With a mental shrug, each turned to the other and prepared to return to battle with a renewed vigor! Only for Minato's sage mode to run out, his hachimon, and for him to promptly fall forward and face plant.

"Hah! I knew I could take you old man!" And with his declaration, Naruto's muscles seized in a spasm of rather intense pain. He not only fell forward, but rolled down the rather steep incline he'd been posturing before.

Father and son shared one thought. ""Owww….""

The rest of Minato's squad appeared by him in a quick, smokeless shunshin.

"Senpai, that was incredibly….attention grabbing."

Minato knew he'd probably fucked up. What with getting into a death match of the scale that usually required either a pair of kage or a jinchuuriki. Still, he figured it was worth it. He'd really gotten to stretch his legs for the first time in a long, long while! And it also showed him how far he still had to go. If the other guy hadn't been dicking around, Minato would have been in grave danger. So, knowing what he had to do, he issued one last order before passing.

"Make sure you grab the other guy too. I wanna talk to him. Something about him is way too….familiar." And with that, father and son were once again on the same page. Blissful unconsciousness, that is.

"Hey, Tiger-senpai, I found this naginata over here. I think it belongs to the other guy."

"Well, grab that too, no telling how important it is. Minato-senpai gave us an order."

"It's stuck."

"What do you mean it's stuck?"

"I mean it's been shoved into the ground and then layered with seals…. I think it'll cause a ferret to explode out of my ass if I touch it."

"...Just bring the whole section of the ground with us."

"Hai, Tiger-senpai."

 **AN - Wyvern: I am getting back at you for this, just saying.**

 **Alvor: Octopus.** **  
Wyvern: And now everything you say just makes me angrier.**

 **Alvor: Youth?** **  
Wyvern:..Don't you dare…**

 **Alvor: Say it with me, my most dedicated and fiery kouhai! For today is the springtime of our life, so raise your hand to the sky and let loose your YOOOUUUUUTTTTHHHHH! 'Nice Guy Pose ™'** **  
Wyvern: I need a drink...**


	2. Daily Life in Chaldea

**AN Alvor here again with another one shot by me and Crimson-Wyvern. He's actually the one that got me, more or less, into writing Fate stuff. Personally, I always thought Shirou was a bit scrubby, but Archer is nice enough. Rin is still worst girl though.**

 **Wyvern: No she's not. I assure you there could be way worse options! At least she is not jailbait.**

 **Alvor: ….And Nero isn't? Never mind your 'thing' for saber lily.**

 **Wyvern: I do not have a 'thing' for Saber Lily!**

 **Alvor: Sure. And you totally didn't watch all those scenes between Chocolate and Vanilla with popcorn and tissues in hand.**

 **Wyvern: …I'm gonna murder you one of these days**

 **Alvor: Aww. I love you too, you big cuddly, wuddly little dragon kin.**

Between the time traveling shenanigans and overall crazy hijinks involving legendary figures of human history, life at Chaldea actually was rather tame by the standards of its population. They were men and women used to the struggles of life, of conflict and the unending strife of life in general.

Chaldea represented a breath of fresh air for them, the chance to live as normally as possible for them.

This included many facets of life such as having to do chores, work around the facility to ensure it was in top shape to running supply missions to make sure they never were left wanting.

For Harry, however, this also meant the return of a boring facet of daily life.

School.

Now, one would think that going to school alongside legendary heroes would make it less mind numbing, but there was no such luck. And since he had been spirited away before finishing his education, his family saw fit to arrange so he could continue studying.

Chaldea was after all home to many intelligent figures like Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, although the two geniuses could never get through a conversation without arguing.

Which normally lead to a rant by Miss Blavatsky.

So everyday Harry and Jackie woke up early to meet with Alice, or Nursery Rhyme, before going to class. Sometimes they would be joined by Illya and Chloe, when they weren't running missions alongside the young version of Gilgamesh, who came and left as he pleased. When she was 'in port' Mary would come and visit as long as she could.

But that lead to Harry's latest problem.

"Dad!" He called out. "Have you seen my chemistry books?! We have classes with Mr. Paracelsus today!"

Dr. Henry Jekyll, a rather youngish looking blond man, looked up from a rather intimidatingly sparking concoction he'd just been working on. Ignoring the multi colored sparks flying at him, he took a moment to think.

"Hmm. I do believe they were in the drawing room. Have you checked there my boy?"

"Yeah, they're in here. Thanks dad! See you and Mom later!"

Henry let himself chuckle. Afterall, who imagined a man as infamous and, allegedly, depraved as he would ever raise a boy. He had killed so many people, done so much evil…

"Love, enough of that." Henry felt his Bright Star wrap her arms around his waist. Turning his head, he leaned back and shared a chaste kiss with his wife.

"Ah, my most beloved. My knight in shining armor….Thank You."

Mordred of Camlann, daughter of Morgana and Arturia Pendragon smiled as she held her husband. "Don't blame yourself. And don't let those thoughts consume you. Your heart is filled with love and life. Your friends know it, I know it, your son knows it."

"You're right my Bright Star. Still, Harry was in a good mood today. Rather chipper when he left. Though he certainly inherited your propensity for….misplacing, well, just about everything."

Mordred, blushing, lightly punched her husband on the shoulder. "Well, he's certainly taken up your dress sense. I haven't seen him wear anything but a Victorian suit in weeks."

Henry turned to look at his wife, his alchemical concoction stable. It wouldn't do for all his morning work to literally blow up on his face after all.

Of course, that was a terrible mistake. His wife stood there, arms pushing up her chest, and with a pout that seemed almost criminally adorable at the same times. He felt a trickle of blood drip down his nose.

Not many got to see the infamous Knight of Treachery in such a frankly adorable light.

And he was glad to be one of the few who could.

"Of-of course we can go visit France then? Well go as a family, my Bright Star."

Smirking, her husband never could take that particular combo; Mordred leaned forward and kissed him again. "That sounds lovely dear. I'd be delighted to go. I'll make sure to pick out appropriate outfits…. And maybe something for just the two of us after Harry goes to visit dear Jackie again."

Doctor Henry Jekyll was a man of science who had stared down rampaging monsters, rescued queens, and slain demons and dragons alike. He could barely manage to right his thoughts after his Queen of a wife swept through him like a gale. It reminded him of why he loved her so much.

And it brought a bittersweet smile to his lips. His wife was life itself, full of joy and happiness, she had an air of wild freedom as well as a fierce personality. And damn her father for not seeing it.

Turning back to his work, one last thought slipped through his head. 'I hope she wears the lacy one. Heh.'

' **You and me both.'** He heard Hyde's response.

Thankfully he caught the resurgent nosebleed before it ruined his work.

 **[Chaldea - Hallways]**

'

Now, which laboratory was it…' Harry scratched his forehead absent mindedly as he walked through the workshops of the science division.

It was impossible for every Magus working at the facility to get their own private working space so the few rooms they had available rooms that could be booked and shared by groups. While it allowed everyone to use the facilities, this unfortunately prevented them from having a set place to work.

And that meant that Harry's chemistry classes always took place in a different room every week.

Needless to say, he got lost.

Every single time.

'Stupid science class. Why do you hate me so… ?' He grumbled mentally. Fortunately he had left for class earlier than normal or he would have been late as well as lost.

Behind the young wizard and magus to be a dark shadow coalesced into a solid form. A lingering thing, like a hand reaching up from an unhallowed grave stretched towards him. Small, rasping breaths filled the air, the lights flickered, and a knife glinted.

As the shadow was poised to strike, Harry turned around. Looking upon the visage of a killer, a murderer, that had haunted the dreams of millions and killed hundreds, he smiled.

"Hey Jack! Good to see you out and about."

Jack the Ripper reached out and grabbed a hold of his sleeve and began to pull him along.

"Oh, thank the Root you know the way. I was completely lost. Still, it's nice finally seeing you in pants."

Jack, a 4'6 girl, launched a baleful glare at the boy for his comment. In the face of the wrath of one of the most vicious and fanatical assassins in the whole of the Throne, he laughed and ruffled her hair. She pouted and pretended to not like it, even as she leaned into his hand.

"Hah. Poor Jack. Think of it this way, it'll be easier for you to blend in if a cop isn't trying to cart you off for public indecency. Also, I think you might not be as scary to the other kids, too."

To Jack, the later was very much a downside. Still, Harry was happy, so she'd go along with it. In the end, she only had a few other friends and that was thanks to the boy's intervention. So she could do this one little thing for him.

It was a well known fact that Jack liked to forego proper pants while walking around Chaldea. Her main caretaker, Atalanta, had many problems trying to break her out of the habit. And that was all. No one was stupid enough, no matter how depraved, to mess with a child here.

Much like Jack's habit of speaking on third person, that one was particularly stubborn.

"Mother said you were going to get lost again." She gave him a tiny smirk, knowing how much that situation exasperated him.

"And Alice?" He ignored her, but felt his eyebrow twitch.

"Went ahead to warn Mister Celsus." She was still smirking at him.

He was about to give her a very witty rebuke when a nearby door went up in smoke and a figure shot through it like a missile, hitting the opposite wall. Harry and Jackie approached the sooth-covered figure.

It was...Blackbeard?

"Mister Teach, what are you doing here?" What was a pirate even doing inside an alchemy lab?

"Hey kids...Do I still have all my limbs? Kind of dizzy right now, can't feel below my neck." Blackbeard groaned and Harry noted that the soot covering the famous pirate had actually became stone.

How was that even possible?

Jack, on the other hand, was amused at the situation. Not that she showed it, of course. Edward Teach was a rather perverted old man. Something she disapproved of wholeheartedly. Especially when it was directed at the adoptive Mother of her second friend. Her friend being Mary Read and her Mother being Anne Bonney. Anne was a nice lady. Teach, was not a very nice man. At least, not in Jack's opinion.

"What were you even trying to do?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

He had the distinct impression that the famous pirate would be fidgeting if his body hadn't been completely immobilized.

He coughed. "Ahem, I heard that there were magical potions that let the mages watch stuff from afar. Yes...so I was trying to watch a game! Yes! A game that I wasn't invited to!" He pretended to cry.

"Poor Blackbeard couldn't participate of the skinny...I mean...sportive diving. Isn't that sad?"

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. "Teach. At least tell me you weren't trying to spy on my mother again?"

Blackbeard, seeing an opportunity, jumped at it. "Of course not, old chap! Even if your mother is a rather fine specimen of feminine glory-"

"Teach"

"Ahem. Yes. As I was saying, I was not spying on your mother! Cross my heart! Er, I would, but, well, as you can see…."

"Children, should you not be at your classes? Is there a problem?"

And just like that Blackbeard went through fifty shades of white as he paled, looking absolutely horrified at the newcomer.

Nightingale was wearing her battle outfit, which meant she had most likely just returned from a mission. Her red eyes stared at them with slight interest, but seemed more focused on the stone-covered pirate.

Which could only mean bad things. Florence Nightingale wasn't exactly known for her gentle bedside manner.

"Oh, fair Lady Nightingale! How are you today."

With a glare that seemingly only matrons who oft had to care for unruly patients could manage, she turned to the mostly stone man before her.

"Ah. The irrepressible Mister Teach. I do hope you weren't bothering the young Miss Jack, or the young Lord Potter overmuch?"

Blackbeard, doing as he did best, promptly went with his gut instinct. "Of course I wasn't! Jack'o here is flat as a board and Harry's got a bit o' the noble's look, but I don't lean that way. Though, I do think Potter would make a fine lass, if I do say so myself! Course, give 'er a few years and Jacky 'll turn into a vision o' beauty, no doubt."

"Just stop, Teach. You are making it worse." Harry face palmed while Jack just gave the man a baleful glare.

"Pervert." She drawled.

"Now then children. Why don't you head on to class while I tend to Mr. Teach. I will be _sure_ to look after him." The way her eyes shone in madness didn't seem to bother them, although they noted Blackbeard was sweating bullets.

He had the distinct impression that the Angel of Mercy would not spare him for this particular incident.

"Kids! Wait, kids. Don't leave me here!" He started to struggle against his stone bonds.

"Please cease all movement, Edward Teach, or I shall be forced to apply anesthesia. Now, let's begin by removing the unaffected parts."

From afar, Harry and Jackie could hear the infamous pirate shriek like a banshee.

"Get that bone saw away from my head!"

With a sigh of relief, Harry realized they had finally managed to reach the classroom….just in time for an explosion to ring out and Sherlock Holmes to come flying through the doors.

Seriously, what was with people getting blown up in the labs today?

Standing up, the man dusted himself off and turned around before, rather comically, shrieking in surprise and jumping backwards.

"Children, you mustn't scare me like that! Still, it is fortunate that you managed to make it to class, somewhat on time….Anyways, I'll see _you_ later Lord Potter, we'll be needing to continue your personal classes on logic and ancient Greek! Especially considering you slept through my last two lectures. So, I bid you, little Lady Jack, and you little Lord Potter, a very good adieu!"

Harry sighed. His friends were insane. Jack cocked an eyebrow at him. He ruffled her hair again. "Come on Jack, let's get this over with."

Together the kids managed to force open the jammed shut doors. Apparently, the force of the rebound from the explosion was sufficient to cause it to warp and lock in place. Somewhat embarrassingly for Harry, Jack had been the one to, more or less, do all the work.

"Ah, Lord Potter, Ms. Jack, how good to see you! I was afraid we'd lack for your company today."

Harry had a small blush on his face. He knew the rather round and jovial man before him was entirely earnest with that statement. Friar Tuck, who even now wore his brown, sackcloth habit, was a kind man who's only vice was fine food, fine drink, and a love of even better company. Stammering a small apology, he ushered Jack to their seat near the back of the class and settled down for Home Room. There was no need, after all, to cause the kind man any more disruption.

Sitting behind the small workshop was Paracelsus, wearing a set of robes as he placed his equipment on the table.

"We are ready to begin, Tuck."

The famous alchemist tended to oversee their chemistry classes with some help from the friar. He was a rather busy man in Chaldea so it was good having some help in narrowing down what he could teach the students on the short amount of time they had.

 **[Chaldea - Kitchens]**

Instead of creating a single eating area for all personnel to enjoy, Chaldea had an entire section dedicated to building different areas where Servants and the Magus could use.

They were created to be recreational areas connected to the main kitchen.

One section was fondly referred to as The Prancing Pony and was designed to resemble a tavern. It was small and cozy, but warm nonetheless and even had private booths for those who wanted to be left to themselves.

While Jekyll considered himself a man of fine tastes he could not deny that the atmosphere around the tavern-like area was very comforting in its own rustic way.

"Good afternoon, Mata Hari. Having a busy day?" He greeted the barmaid politely.

While more of an acquaintance than a friend, Jekyll found the spy's company to be enjoyable if only to trade idle chat. She was a good listener and valued privacy, ironically.

"To you as well, good doctor. Waiting for the family?" She smiled at him.

"Yes, Harry should be done with his classes any moment now and Mordred said she was called for a short spar by some friends." He cringed slightly, imagining the rowdy Saber and her friends wrecking the training room for a second time.

The masters had to reinforce it after that particular debacle.

At that point in time, the doors to the Pony were slammed open. A group of four, large men walked in. The first, a blond man, strode through the open doors. In a loud voice, he began speaking to his companions.

"Cheer up Tristain, no need to be so glum! I'm sure a fine fellow such as you'll be able to find a fine woman! After all, you are the 'Handsome Knight'."

"Oh lay off the poor man, Gawain. He's still having problems after getting rebuked by that magus girl yesterday." Bedivere chided his fellow blond.

"Yes, but that was because the lady was already married." Lancelot gave Tristan a teasing smirk, knowing all too well how ironic it was.

Jekyll sighed and looked up from the small diary he was using to take notes. The boisterous bunch of knights were common customers around the Pony, but he always made sure to mark down the times at which they would be busy so as to not have to expose his dearest Star to them.

The situation with the Camelot Servants had reached a standoff, with neither group trying to antagonize the other, especially after Mordred helped Chaldea defeat their corrupted copies during a singularity.

Still, the bad blood between the groups simmered. In the end, the sheer hatred they bore for one another, Lancelot for Mordred and Agravain in particular, remained. It hadn't helped that Mordred still felt herself in the right for revealing his affair with Guinevere and had refused to apologize for actions while alive. That she was held responsible for at least two wars, both of which she, again, felt in the right for starting had only irked the girl and divided the knights into their old camps once again.

Honestly, it was a Cold War with very firm rules. Jekyll was just happy he didn't have to worry about them targeting Harry. Hyde was happy he'd be able to slit a few throats sooner than rather, in his words.

Henry froze. His eyes had made contact with Lancelot's. The knight's face went from mild joviality to an enraged snarl in a moment.

"Ah, brothers, look at who's with us this day!" The bitter tone that filled his voice had Henry's nerves on edge.

'Shit, du Lac must have had a fight with Guinevere or Arturia. And if he starts something, I really, really don't think I can take four knights!'

The good doctor discreetly reached for the hidden pocket on his vest, looking for the small dose of his potion he tended to carry for emergencies.

"Sir Lancelot. Sir Tristan, Sir Gawain, Ser Bedivere. I greet you. How are you doing this fine day?"

Tristan turned away, a bit of shame in his eyes. He had no interest in what was likely about to happen. Bedivere stepped between the two men and turned to look at Jekyll.

"Thank you, doctor, we're doing _just fine_. Aren't we, Lancelot?"

The Knight in question turned to stare at Bedivere. Looking away, he gave a snort of dismissal.

"Indeed, Bedivere. It was all fine."

Gawain, being a bit of an airhead, promptly ruined all of Bedivere's work.

"Well, it was a lot better before we had to run into that traitor's boy toy. Still, woman, bring us drinks. Wine and beer!"

Doctor Henry Jekyll was a man of science. He took a deep breath, thought through the situation, considered all angles, and promptly struck the nastiest blow he could.

"Well, seeing as how you did your level best to kill Lancelot after what he did to your brothers, I'd guess you know all about traitors, huh, Gawain?"

 **'Booyah! Good one, Henry!'** Hyde called out. **  
**

Gawain's face purpled. "You son of a whore, how dare you! You, a degenerate murderer, a sick freak, dare to lecture me! A Knight of the Round!"

Bedivere sighed. This was going to go poorly.

Jekyll, channeling Hyde, continued with his needles, simply ignoring the other man's bluster.

"Well, considering Gareth and Agravaine swore to Mordred, before your *ahem* _friend_ over there killed them, I'd say you were the odd one out. Even Gaheris is fond enough of Mordred that he's thinking of joining."

Tristan, knowing that a fight was going to break out soon enough, decided to make sure everyone else knew what this was.

"Gawain, before you say anything else, take this outside." Turning to the proprietor of the Pony, he bowed his head in apology. "Ms. Zelle, I apologize for disrupting your inn. We'll be finishing this in just a bit."

Mata Hari turned to look at Jekyll. The question in her eyes silently asking if Henry was alright with this. He nodded his head. It was only a mostly terrible idea to pick this fight. And he _did_ have his pride as a husband after all.

"The Good Ser Tristan, despite the….aggressiveness of his companions, is quite right. We'll finish this outside. Of course, knowing Lancelot, he'll, _somehow_ , manage to show up a few hours late and then wipe out half of his comrades anyways."

 **'Shots fired.'** Hyde snickered from within his mental prison.

Lancelot's face did not purple as Gawain's had. His rage was a cold thing. He _hated_ Mordred as much as he loved and adored Arturia and Guinevere. Instead, he snarled, the sound and his face seeming more like a wolf than a man for a moment.

"Watch your tone, murderer, you'll be dueling Gawain. But if you keep pushing I'll make sure your whelp knows of your mistake too. A good thrashing ought to teach him and you some respect."

The quiet tone Lancelot had spoken in had cut through the silence in the Pony like a knife. It was a rule, a very much spoken one, that you did _not_ hurt children. Of course, Harry was old enough to learn how to fight and kill himself, so he more straddled the line than not. Still, it was a damned arrogant thing to do and say.

Jekyll stood up, downed the shot of whiskey he'd been sipping on, stood up, and launched a throwing knife at Lancelot.

The blade nicked the Lancelot's throat and lodged itself deep, deep into the concrete wall behind him. The knight recoiled before jumping to his feet, hand on his sword, with only Bedevere holding him back from drawing it then and there.

"Unlike every time you 'joust' with your boy, and you do so spend so much time alone with so many young boys, I did not miss. I want you to know something, _Adulterous Mad Ape_ , you will **_never_** threaten my boy again."

Up until the very end, Jekyll's tone had been polite, if a bit mocking. However, such was his rage he felt Hyde slipping out. And honestly, once they were outside, Jekyll figured the monster could come out and play all he wanted.

 **'That's what I like to hear, Henry boy! Now let's go open some tin cans.'** For once, the good doctor found himself agreeing with Hyde. A very dangerous situation, as when they agreed, they tended to, for lack of a better word, merge. All the knowledge and surgical precision of the doctor, all the madness and black rage of the monster.

Mata Hari hurried and opened the doors of the Pony for the group of five men. They stepped outside into the wide corridor. It was big enough for what Hyde intended to do to the knights and Jekyll figured he'd be able to use it to limit the freedom of movement of his opponents weapons. There were a few advantages to being a knife fighter, after all.

"Thank you Mata Hari, you were an excellent hostess, and I do apologize for the wall. But **now, I'm gonna open up me a few nobs what thought they could threaten me boy!"**

Turning on his heel, tie and jacket flying out, Jekyll/Hyde drew a pair of knives, his hair spiking up and his normally green eyes beginning to turn blood red.

First, he jumped up onto the right wall, running prana through his feet and trusting that to deny gravity's hold. As Hyde pushed their body harder and faster, Jekyll drew out his tot of potion and downed it in a single gulp.

Trusting the Monster to keep them alive while it did its work, the Man analyzed the situation before him. He'd insulted Lancelot's pride and honor with his knife trick, the smirk that clawed its way onto his face was purely borne out a malevolent glee entirely coming from Jekyll, and so the man would be bristilling to attack him first.

As such, he'd deny the thrice buggered bastard. Pushing, Jekyll convinced Hyde to lash out at Gawain first.

Hyde, simply happy that he was free to come out and play gleefully launched himself off the wall and twisted mid air, bringing his knives down towards Gawain, and cutting a pair of paper thin lines on the bastard's face. As du Lac had managed to save the boy's eyes by pulling him back in the 'nick' of time.

Gawain, somewhat panicked, was just glad that Lancelot had pulled him back in time. Lancelot, however, hadn't even noticed that he'd likely just stopped his friend from ending up a cripple, such was his rage and fury at the laughing madman now attacking them.

 **"** **Cor, I figured you nobs would'a been a bit more, well, good at the whole fighting bit! Considering how many women and children you lot gutted. Of course, that was probably the 'ole point of going after 'em! Hahahahahahahahaha!"**

Lancelot screamed in frustration! The bastard in front of him just! Wouldn't! Stand! Still!

As he was slashing and hacking away, desperately trying to cleave Hyde in two, Gawain saw an opportunity and manage to get around the madman, and seeing as how this was no longer a duel, struck at him from behind.

"Now, Lancelot! Overwhelm him, end this!" Gawain was panicking a bit. His blood was in his eyes and he couldn't feel his face. He knew something was wrong. Still, he continued to lash out at the duel knife wielding bastard in front of him, the strength and force of his blows forcing the man to stay on the ground.

 **"** **Tch, you lot really think you can take ole Hyde with just this! Why, I'd be insulted if I hadn't already known you were so weak!"**

Lancelot had been seeing red for a bit now. He was in a happy place for him. Nothing but his fury and the man in front of him. Up and down, slash and thrust, parry and riposte. Each strike began to flow into the next, simply a pleasant haze of killing. Of course, all of that ended when he felt his left arm catch during a downward stroke.

Hyde sensing an opportunity, threw one of his knives at Gawain, forcing the knight to hurriedly block, freeing the Monster to slip inside Lancelot's guard and drive his knife through the joint of his plate harness protecting the man's armpit. He promptly twisted and pulled, tearing out a solid chunk of meat and damaging the bone beneath.

Slipping away, Hyde held the blood and flesh coated knife up to his face before daintily nibbling on the end of it. Promptly, he spat it out. Seeing that Lancelot had fallen to his knees, cradling his arm, and Gawain was wobbling about, he figured it was time for a bit more taunting.

 **"** **Bleh, tastes like frog. Still, I figured it was about time for Henry boy's poison to work. He really is a lot better at the whole 'murder and butchery' bit than you lot give him credit for."**

Here, Hyde walked over and decked Gawain. The man, already being unsteady, was too slow to block and took it to the face. He looked over his shoulder and saw that while both Bedivere and Tristan were fingering their swords, and heh, wasn't that a riot, they were holding back.

 **"** **Now, normally, I'd be doing a whole lot worse to you lot. You threatened my boy after all. But, luckily for you, the potion is wearing off. Unluckily for you, the wifey is here. So, good luck with that!"**

The potion expended, Hyde slowly regressed into Jekyll, the Monster giving way to Man just as Mordred came running around the corner, sword drawn.

With her full armor donned, the Knight of Treachery looked like a demon coming straight out of hell, stomping her way to the group and then through them as she marched up to her husband.

Her helmet dismissed itself as she pulled the slightly dizzy doctor to her.

"Henry, are you okay? Did they do something to you?!" She frantically checked him over for injuries, having abandoned her sparring match the moment she felt him use Dangerous Game.

"Oh, there you are my Star. I'm a bit dizzy. I think-ooh-yes, I do think I may have overdone it a bit."

Mordred, being concerned over her husband's state, swept him up in a princess carry before turning to Gawain and the still somewhat conscious Lancelot.

"Truly, mine father's men have fallen low if two knights must set upon a single man. Yet surely it is the divine providence of His will that they failed in their task." Turning on her heel, she shouldered her way through Tristan and Bedevere, who had begun to collect their fallen comrades, and carried her now unconscious husband to Nightingale. She'd be the best one to help with the side effects of the man's potion.

Of course, that didn't mean she wouldn't get the full story of what happened from her husband. Just that she'd make sure he was alright first. Seeing no one was around, she bent down and lightly kissed his forehead. He really was coming along quite nicely if he could take two knights at once.

 **AN: Hope you lot enjoyed it. And I hope we'll have a lot more for you fine folks later. Of course, I figure me and a few other writing mates 'll probably post a bit more in here too.**

 **Wyvern: If only to get rid of the plot bunnies.**

 **Alvor: And mostly because I'm actually terrible at dealing with my horrific, crippling writer's block!**


	3. Fairy Tail by Araceil: Tribute

**AN: Hello, people of the internet! Wyvern here! So, Alvor and I have created yet another one-shot for your viewing pleasure. Based on a fanfic called "Fairy Tail" by Araceil. Unfortunately it is on permanent Hiatus so I thought, why not make this a tribute.**

 **Warhawk: The big lug up there got me to read it. And it was damn good! You should go read it too! Actually, stop reading this and go read that! Done? Good. Now, on with the show!**

When November rolled around the small group of friends had begun experimenting on their magical styles with gusto; making full use of the abandoned classroom Harry had been using to stash his own notebooks and 'inspiration'. The teasing had been good natured when they first had seen what Erza Scarlet looked like.

They made sure to clean up the room and even managed to somewhat furnish it with furniture from other, long abandoned, classrooms. Hermione was adamant on finding a teacher-sized desk for each one of them to work on. She had. quite wisely, anticipated how much space they would need for research and notes.

Sure it took them all day to carry the desks to their hideout but it was a good investment.

Neville's desk had all sorts of plant-related books; from muggle botany and magical herbology to woodwork of all kinds. On the edge of the desk he kept a small vase with the sapling he managed to grow the week before, which he now worked on daily.

Hermione's desk was cluttered in an orderly way; with piles of books on languages, mathematics, charms, and spellmaking. Harry even thought he saw a booklet on basic wand making when he helped her bring them down.

Draco's desk had weird trinkets. Amulets he said contained moonlight and star charts with names and constellations. When questioned he said they belonged to his mother, who studied advanced astrology.

He had also, begrudgingly, accepted one of Hermione's books.

If he wanted to learn Heavenly Body Magic, he couldn't discard any possible clue.

As for his own desk, Harry had brought along plenty of diagrams and almanacs about magical creatures and their origins as well as Hermione's notes on the Hollow element and Imaginary Demons. Fortunately the library had plenty of books on magical creatures due to an advanced class.

He would need to look into it later.

Sue kept her own desk empty half the time since the magic she was trying to learn was not as….directly complex. He remembered her carrying around a few books on chemistry and basic alchemy, but she kept those on the small stand they had taken from an empty room.

All together, It was their personal pint-sized library.

It was like their own little club and Harry couldn't be happier about it.

"Hey Granger, you done with that essay for herbology?" Draco called out, nose deep on a book.

"I already told you Draco, you're not copying my homework!" The bushy-haired witch responded from her corner of the room.

"Oh come on! I said please and everything. What do I have to do, pay you?"

"For starters, I still haven't forgiven you for the hair-straightening potion!"

"That was Potter's idea!" The Slytherin cried foul.

"Harry is a menace to society, you should have known better." She sniffed, but turned to give him a glare of annoyance.

He waved at her cheerfully.

"Bunch of wusses." Sue sniped from her own desk.

"What was that?!" The bickering duo roared in tandem, getting a tiny smirk from the usually taciturn Ravenclaw.

"You two forsook all rights to personal privacy and peace of mind the moment you decided to join our mad little world." The smallest girl gave them a knowing look. After all the two of them had witnessed first hand Harry's propensity towards 'ahem' _raising Cain_.

The world was his little toy box of madness.

"Aww, you know you love me, Sue." Harry cooed as he promptly pulled the diminutive girl into a bearhug, causing her to wiggle about like a trapped cat and slowly turning a shade of red not massively dissimilar to that of a tomato.

"Argh, too tight! Let go of me, you cretin!" She hissed in embarrassment.

The pitying looks she received from her fellow students made it even worse. So she opted for the easiest and most effective solution.

" **Water Bullet!"**

A small jet of water doused the laughing Gryffindor right on the face, causing him to sputter in surprise. He wasn't the only one laughing now.

"See! That's what I want to learn! No wand movements, no fancy words, just sheer, awesome power!" Malfoy raved on. It had become a common occurrence for the blond begin ranting whenever one of them managed to use a wandless spell. Most of the time it was him or Sue showcasing the few spells they had come up with.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Yes, because spraying water up someone's nose counts as 'sheer awesome power'." She said.

"Are you mocking me?" The Slytherin turned pink, giving his tentative muggleborn acquaintance what he considered a terrifying glare.

She giggled at him.

"Sure took you awhile to figure that out." She ducked under her desk when the blond pounced, sailing through her stacks of books.

"Oi! Those books are borrowed!" She screeched, righteous anger bubbling up as her precious papers scattered over the floor.

Draco didn't seem to care though as he stood up and dusted himself before giving her a smirk, something which immediately put Hermione on reached for a large brown-colored tome which had fallen right next to him, giving the cover a once over before dashing towards the Gryffindor girl.

"I'm so very sorry. Here, let me help you!" He swung the book around much like a Quidditch Beater, chasing after Hermione as if she were a particularly stubborn bludger.

Harry seemed to find it humorous, laughing as the duo ducked and weaved around the desks.

"They sure seem to be getting along." Neville piped in from his side of the room, peering at the spectacle from behind his herbology book.

"Better bickering than fighting." Sue shrugged.

Harry let out another chuckle when he saw Hermione pick up a weapon of her own, brandishing the encyclopedia against Draco.

"What about you, Nev? Ready for another try?" He called out, breaking off the ongoing fight.

With all eyes firmly set on him, Neville felt himself color in embarrassment. It was something his friends did to try and get him used to working under pressure. After the terrible accident on their first Potions class, Harry had taken it upon himself to help the larger boy overcome his anxiety.

By constantly exposing him to it.

It was a work in progress.

"Y-Yeah. I think I got it this time." Neville stuttered out as he walked over to the center of the room with his faithful potted plant.

Harry called it Mitchel.

By now the entire group was standing around Neville as he took deep calming breaths, gathering his focus as he placed Mitchel on the floor. He took a step back and raised his hand, going over everything they had discovered about his magic over the course of the last few weeks.

His Element was Earth.

His Origin was Flowering.

His Semblance was Manipulation.

His Magic was the Magic of the springing grain, of the bursting flowers, of the towering oaks, and the ancient mountains. All that he Was, Is, and Will Be was the Magic of the new and ancient. And….and….he didn't feel it. Already, he felt the spell stutter and peter out at the end. It was no good, he was no good. He was just a squib after all.

"Neville, stop thinking that and look at the plant." Harry saw his friend's confidence waver and fall. So, he figured it'd be best to interrupt that particular train of thought. So, he just clapped his friend on the shoulder and pointed at how far he had come.

Neville looked up from his shoes, already blurred by tears, and got ready to snap at Harry for constantly leading him on. And he saw Mitchell. The small sapling was at least a yearling based purely on growth! A number of small buds had sprouted up along the length and it….

"Wait a second, Harry, I don't think this species is supposed to flower. It's deciduous, not, well, flowering."

Harry, being Harry, shrugged and turned back to his own desk. "Nev, magic is fucking awesome."

Hermione gasped in shock; and, red faced, threw a notebook at the back of Harry's head, who, chuckling, ducked under it and skittered back to his own work station.

"Harry James Potter! I know you know better than to use that….that….." and here Hermione, blushing a bright red in shock at the 'vigorous' eye wiggle Harry had sent her way, had pushed the rest of the group too far. They all began laughing, even the next-to-tears Neville, in shared humor. Hermione, once she realized they weren't laughing at her, Sue Li's small, though kind, smile helping her along, began to chuckle, then let loose a full belly laugh too.

It was over the sound of laughter that a bell rang out, startling the whole of the group, with all of them quickly grabbing their bags and tidying up their work spaces. None of them wanted to be late to class. Because, even if they were learning 'cooler' magic, the rest of it, except for Binns, was indeed Fucking Awesome.

* * *

 ****

 **Harry yawned as he stumbled his way out of the History of Magic class. Another attempt to stay awake, another spectacular failure brought about by Mister Drone-On Binns. Seriously, no matter what he did he never managed to get through five minutes of the lecture.**

 **He tried the coffee candy he brought from home.**

 **He tried to just ignore the lecture altogether and just take notes.**

 **But nothing worked!**

 **It was like Binns' voice had a magical property meant to put students to sleep. Actually….was that possible? Harry took a moment to consider that. Binns was a ghost….**

"Nah, no way….Better to be just ask Hermione. Still, I hope Sue lets me copy her notes later."

Harry took a moment to think about his first friend. She was smart. Differently than Hermione, though. Where Hermione could read a hundred books and recall them word for word, Sue could get concepts. She could explain what she had learned.

It was definitely better than what Harry could do. He was good at feeling his way through magic, but tended to have trouble focusing on lectures. And, while he loved reading, he was terrible at getting through textbooks, never mind some of the tomes they sometimes had to read, unless he was really, really interested in what they had.

And that's without mentioning the fact that they had to learn to read a dozen types of lettering, since most of the books were handwritten first!

The only advantage the books in the Wizarding World had over muggle textbooks, with their sensible font styles and lettering sizes, was that their pictures tended to be AWESOME.

Not that all magic wasn't, but Harry was convinced that some very boring, likely very old and stodgy too, people had gotten together and conspired to make magic boring.

'Truly, those were the most terrible Dark Lords to have ever been.' Cause who else but a Dark Lord would try to turn so many people off of magic by making it so _boring_.

Still, that's why Sue was so smart! She could take in all of that 'textual vomit', as she called it, and 'reiterate it in an actually useful manner'. Harry smothered a giggle. Sue was wickedly funny for someone who spoke so quietly.

And it's why he'd managed to stay as caught up on his studies, muggle as well as wizarding, as he had. His features darkened. The Dursleys hadn't been exactly encouraging of Harry's academic work. Harry….he was just glad that Sue had been able to help him. Merlin only knows how he'd manage to learn to read if she hadn't taught him.

Something pulled on his sleeve, dragging him out of his thoughts and into the greyish blue eyes of his friend.

Filled with concern.

"Too quiet." She accused him, or at at least, that was the impression he got.

She knew him too well.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about Privet Drive." He explained, making her eyes narrow in understanding. She sucked in a quick breath, hissing in displeasure at the thought of his muggle relatives.

He thought the sound was adorable, almost like a cat.

"Stupid Dursleys not worth thinking about. Too dull." She rolled her eyes before walking off, briskly pulling him along.

"Of course, I wonder if even the Professors can levitate the Walrus?" With a sly look, Sue did the one thing that always helped him feel better. She got him laughing.

"Got that right! Though, I wonder if maybe Petunia had enough magic to try the animagus transformation and ended up stuck somewhere on the way to horse!"

Sue's wry smile was all he needed! He was ready for class today! Besides, they were gonna finally start learning charms after spending so much time on theory and safety. 'Today was gonna be great!'

He picked up the small ravenclaw, earning a squawk of surprise as he dashed through the hallway.

Laughing like the madman he was all the while.

Or at least to the charms classroom. Sue, blushing, something she realized she was doing a lot around Harry these days, lightly struck his chest, more to get his attention than anything else.

"Down, Harry."

"As you command, my lady!" With a wink and a jaunty smile Harry did just that. Though there were far too many flourishes for Sue's liking.

Huffing again, she grabbed his sleeve again and pulled the raven-haired boy to their seats, accompanied by a bemused Hermione.

* * *

Charms was one of their favorite classes, going to head to head with Transfiguration in Harry's opinion. Not only did it provide a ton of inspiration to their experiments, it also gave them a solid base to work with; letting them use much of the material instead of just trial and error like Harry and Sue did before Hogwarts.

The Charms Professor, Filius Flitwick, was an excitable man of half-goblin descent, which explained his diminutive size.

But what he lacked in height he made up for in sheer energy and enthusiasm.

Harry liked him as even his lectures were fun, witht the man demonstrated many of the more fun charms as well. He'd even demonstrated a bit of conjuration, even though it was a discipline of transfiguration. Sue liked him because, even if he could get a bit wrapped up in his subject a bit, he tended to communicate important information, even when rambling.

Surprisingly, Hermione probably disliked him the most, as he tended to speak rapidly and the majority of the time her hand would end up cramping long before it was finished.

So she tried to make up for it on the practical portion of his class.

Which, admittedly, hadn't been much up until this point. Sure, they practiced safety measures and wand movements. Which were all well and good for most students even if Harry found them to be boring. He didn't need fancy words and movements to kick ass! Soon enough he would be able to achieve a full Take Over and then all he needed was to hunt for demons.

A life of adventure, no matter how many strange looks his friends gave him!

Fortunately things were changing today as Flitwick revealed they would be having their first practical class.

Harry was over the moon. Sure, it was Wand magic of all things but it was still _something!_

"Good morning, class." Flitwick started. "Now, as I promised in our last encounter, today we will be going over our first practical class, the Levitating Charm."

Harry's eyes sparked with interest. Levitation? Was it anything like the telekinesis Erza used to move her swords? Perhaps it was something connected to object manipulation like in Hermione's notes.

"For this spell you will need to use the swish and flick movements we practiced. Make sure to keep a firm grip on your wands or they might slip." The half-goblin pulled out his own wand, which looked rather big on his small hand.

With a swish and a flick, he point the wand at a book on his desk.

"Wingardium Leviosa."

Harry looked with rapt attention as the book floated off the desk, hanging on the air as if suspended by wires.

"Also" The Professor continued. "Make sure to properly intone the spell, you do not want to end up with a buffalo stuck in your chest."

And with that the class was left to practice as the energetic teacher made his other books float about, giving his students a small show as they kept trying to emulate him. None of them seemed to be getting it to work though.

"Mental image." Sue concluded, pointing at Hermione's feather and how it wiggled but did not leave the desk.

Ah, so the key to the spell was not to focus on the object, but on what it was supposed to do.

Clever girl!

"I have a proposition." Harry started, giving Sue a mischievous smile.

"Name terms." Her eyes narrowed at him, she recognised a challenge when she heard one.

"First one to get the feather off the table wins. Loser has to help Hermione make a new friend." Sue lightly cringed at the end. She had nothing against her studious friend, but the gryffindor girl was an acquired taste. Sue was certain that had not Harry found an area of common interest with her, the bushy-haired girl wouldn't be a part of their little group.

* * *

Daphne Greengrass was _not_ a happy witch. Draco Malfoy, a rather likely marriage candidate for either herself or her sister, was _cavorting_ with people of absolutely _no_ standing and that outrageous Potter boy!

"Tracey, you _know_ I don't care about blood purity, but they have no class! Granger's a know it all, Longbottom is a coward, Potter is a madman, and they're _Gryffindor's_. He's breaking years of tradition and it's not right."

Tracey Davis, half-blood fashion guru extraordinaire, or, at least, according to herself, was currently listening to her best friend, and she really did love the girl, rant about how Malfoy, poor boy only had the pride of a dragon if you were to ask her, had been running about with a bunch of Gryffindors.

It amused Tracey to no end.

"Daph, I think you're getting a bit worked up over this. I mean, you aren't engaged with him, are you? Never mind! Don't answer that. Well, anyways, it's not like he's not hanging out with people of good breeding and a Ravenclaw. And they don't have any 'Puffs?

Daphne paled. "They're going to get a 'Puff. I just know they're going to get a 'Puff now! I mean, how is this going to look in ten years! All of our classmates will know Draco Malfoy was running about with a pack of-of-rapscallions!"

Tracey smothered a laugh that threatened to erupt. 'Well, at least she only picked that word up from her mother. The Lady Greengrass has a hell of a razor tongue. Still, better stop the poor girl before she faints.'

Just as she was about to smooth over her friend's worries, said Potter boy passed by them laughing merrily as he carried the small Ravenclaw, who looked halfway between exasperated and embarrassed, to class.

Tracey simply sighed into her hand. She reached out and grabbed Daphne's hand and began to pull her away.

"Unhand me this instant! Come on Tracey, let me go!"

"No Daphne. If I do that, you'll run off and try to stalk Potter. And I don't think Snape will tolerate tardiness. Especially not from a first year snake. Even just to a flying lesson!"

Daphne, now pouting as her friend continued to drag her along, began to mumble.

"..."

"What was that Daaaph?" Tracey made sure to drag out the nickname in _just_ the way that she _knew_ absolutely _enraged_ her friend.

"Hmmph." Daphne stamped her foot just enough to express her displeasure, but not so much as to be unseemly. "I don't stalk Potter."

With a good natured roll of her eyes, Tracey just made sure her friend was still following as she let go of her hand. "Come on Daph, we've got flying. And we really, really don't want to end up with a crappy broom."

* * *

"Daph, I told you, it's ok. I just sprained my wrist, I'll be fine in an hour."

Daphne turned to look at her friend, eyebrow cocked. "Tracey, it's swollen _and_ bruised. You'll be useless for the next week. And you and I both know you're just afraid of the medicinal potions."

Tracey paled. "I'm not….afraid. Just wary! You know as well as I do that half their ingredients are poison when magic isn't involved."

Daphney, with an amused smile on her lips, mildly rebuked her friend. "Your muggle chemist of a mother, no matter how smart she was, probably did the dumbest thing ever when she explained how those potion ingredients worked."

Tracey, having regained her color, disagreed. "Of course not. Better to be aware what might not be the smartest to test out on its own. She probably saved my life."

Daphne still smiling, realized they'd reached the infirmary already. "Well Trace, go on in. I'll see you next class."

Checking to make sure no one was around to see it, Daphne embraced her friend in a tight hug before turning on the spot and walking away, looking the picture of a young lady.

Running right into that blasted Potter, and stumbling to the ground.

"Well hello there!" The infuriating green-eyed boy gave her a friendly smile. "Someone must be running late to class."

Looking up, she saw that he had his hand held out, a large smile on his face, and the biggest black eye she had ever seen. She took the hand, only because politeness dictated that she must.

"Mr. Potter. Thank you for helping me up. But I must really be on my way."

"Hey, what's the rush? You aren't actually late, are you?" He sounded puzzled, or perhaps curious was a better word. As if he hadn't expected his first guess to be correct.

"I do apologize, Mr. Potter, I am not late. But as I've delivered my friend to the infirmary, it is quite unwise to linger in the halls. So, again, I bid you good day."

Harry watched in confusion as the girl turned about and marched away. Ultimately, it was the throbbing of his eye that motivated him to continue on his own journey.

And it was with a few more minutes of walking that he had done just that. So, with a swagger in his step, he proudly strode through the doors of the infirmary and called out.

"Heeeello nurse!"

Poppy Pomfrey, Matron of the infirmary, was a kind woman. Always ready with a smile and great deal of patience. She was also a bit on the 'plump' side and well into late middle age. So, it was with a fond exasperation she turned to the young Mister Potter and gestured for him to take a seat while she finished up with the girl before her.

"There dear. The swelling should be gone in a bit. You'll be just fine to run along to class now. And I do wish Albus would approve a new set of brooms already. Merlin knows Hooch does the best she can, but those things are near death traps."

Tracey, strongly desiring to be free of the terrifying room and kind woman, simply nodded her head in agreement and, with a muttered "Yes mam!" made her way from the infirmary.

"Well Poppy, looks like that one knew what I was planning to do."

Turning, with a put upon sigh, she felt strongly tempted to swat the boy on his shoulder at the size of his eye waggle.

"Mr. Potter, please do call me Pomfrey. And I see you've managed to injure yourself. Again. I must say, I am impressed. That's a full dozen in two months. A new record."

Her stern tone was utterly ruined by the smile threatening to break out on her face. Harry knew she liked him enough to forgive him just about anything short of murder and Harry adored the grandmotherly like woman enough to actually murder for her. He was weird like that. Still, his casual visits for tea were close to being outnumbered by his visits for actual medical treatment.

"Heh. Well, I kind of took a feather to the face. Apparently, overcharging the levitation charm can turn, more or less, anything into a lethal weapon."

Poppy couldn't help it, she laughed. "Harry, you're the first person, in my sixty years as a healer, to actually have been injured by a feather. You blessed, fool boy. Well, come on over here. I suppose you can tell me how your potions are doing?"

Harry sat patiently, not a single toe moving, as her wand danced about him; colored lights sinking into his skin.

"Well, you're definitely doing better, dearest. Your bones are doing much better. You'll have those finished off in another week or two. And I think your eye's can be finished in another month, maybe two. Still, your scar is rather worrying. It's only weakened just a bit. I think I'll call a friend over at St. Mungo's. You don't mind, do you?"

"Oh Poppy, you beautiful woman who brews my medicine. For you, love? Not at all." Seeing the unimpressed look on his friend's face, Harry calmed down a bit and answered appropriately. "No, I wouldn't mind. And, seriously Madam Pomfrey, thank you."

With a sigh Pomfrey finished up, with Harry's eye now only a mild blue and growing lighter even then. "Go on dearest. Head on to class. I'll see you for tea later."

Giving the matron a quick hug, Harry jumped up, and with the energy only a child can muster up, dashed off. "Bye Poppy, see you later!"

One last fond sigh punctuated the boy's flight from her ward. Poppy shook her head and, wearing a smile, turned back to her office. She was really quite worried about that scar. And the letter was probably going to be quite long.

 **AN: Hope you guys enjoyed the ride. And, again, massive props to Araceil. Also, if any of you know why people ship Hermione and Draco so much, let me know, ok?**

 **Wyvern: I think it has something to do with leather pants. Who knows what those people are thinking.**

 **Warhawk: I mean, I like leather too. But usually only on busty blondes holding riding crops! He's a pasty brit with no tits at all! Well, people are weird, I suppose.**

 **Wyvern: And so are you, apparently.**

 **Warhawk: So not everyone likes being tied up and then engaging in hardcore hand holding?**

 **Wyvern: 'Sigh' Go to bed, you're scaring the readers.**


	4. Son of Medusa

**AN AtW: Yo, yo, yo, what's up people! We're back with another installation of AtW and CW! I take full credit/blame for the pairing (and blame Naruto fanfics for many, many fetishes) and don't throw any crap CW's way. He's a pretty chill dude.**

 **CW: Chill enough to befriend this madman. I am practically a saint.**

 **AtW: Meh, I'm corrupting you; slowly but surely! Anyways, on with the show!**

Percy sighed like what felt like the tenth time that afternoon as he watched his darling sister flop butt-first into the floor. The demigoddess clutched her head, which had the beginnings of a bruise forming.

When she asked him for help in her training, the gorgon-born had been ecstatic. He had spent a long time separated from her and wanted an excuse to catch up and in his humble opinion there was no better activity for siblings to share than a hearty training session; but that might have been his monster blood talking.

Unfortunately, while Andy had the instincts and ingrained combat reflexes of a demigod, she tended to overreach and had a certain clumsiness to her. It wasn't anything serious, just raw talent that needed to be harnessed.

She was a diamond in the rough, in a way.

And just like the precious stone, all he needed to do was...ahem... _polish_ her.

The difference is that stones did not complain about it. And if they did they certainly wouldn't do it as loudly or as adorably as the daughter of poseidon.

"Owie. Percy, did you really need to hit so hard?" She pouted, patting her dress...I mean...her _battle skirt_ as she stood up, clearing away the sand.

"Maybe now the lesson will stick, right Andy?" He gave her a tiny smirk.

They had been at it for nearly two hours now and his decision to hold their little spar in front of the lake was proving to be the right one. Andy seemed grateful for the constant healing after all.

He didn't rely much on water to hasten his own regeneration as the blood of a gorgon had healing properties which matched, if not outstripped, the capabilities of ambrosia and nectar. However, being underwater meant he would recuperate even faster than normal.

It was that impressive healing rate which allowed him to fight against Ares and take his eye.

Poetic justice when the man talked so casually about tearing out his own. Now, because of Harpe, the god of war's right eye would be lost forever.

Or until Harpe was destroyed, which wasn't happening anytime soon.

"Alright, let's try this again." Percy started before drawing a wooden practice sword. A simple xiphos, different from the harpe, which was, amusingly enough, also _The Harpe_ , or kopis he preferred. Blame his long limbs and somewhat gangly nature on needing to use a cavalry sword on foot.

"Now, oh dear sister of mine, where did you slip up last time?"

Andy bit down on her lower lip, chewing on it as she thought the question through. "Hmm. I suppose my first mistake is when I pressed in. I got my footwork a bit jumbled and I was off balance. It let you bat my sword aside and knock me a good one." Here Andromeda cocked her hip, and in a rather impressive display of hydrokinesis, used the lake water to bring her sword back to her waiting hand.

"You know, big bro, most people don't tend to enjoy beating their younger siblings as much as you do."

Perseus cocked an eye. "Yeah, and most little sisters don't almost lose their life to a minotaur after they decide to _drive a knife through one's eye_."

Andy blushed a bit and looked down. "Well, I didn't want mom to get hurt."

Perseus took a moment. His twelve year old sister, wearing a full hoplon, carrying aspis and xiphos, was blushing and pouting like an actual child. The sight of what was essentially a child soldier being so….so _normal_ made his heart hurt.

"By the Immortal Gods I wish you didn't have to know this."

Andromeda stopped kicking at the ground and looked up.

Asking, with a tone of confusion, "But Perseus, I love this. It's fun, isn't it?"

The questioning tone made him almost curse the Immortals out loud. "Yeah, love, it's fun. But you're….you're just a bit young is all."

Andy puffed out her cheeks. "I'm not young at all! I'm 13!"

Percy let a chuckle slip. "You're 12-" Here Andy jumped in, "and 9 months!" Percy conceded the point and with a nod, continued. "Indeed, 12 and 9 months. But you've been at this since you were 11. And, well, you should be running around with your friends and playing soccer. Not climbing walls of lava and butchering monsters. It's just not right."

Andy was getting a bit worried. Her big brother had a dark look in his eye. The kind he got right before something very big, and very scary, tended to die violently. Of course, she didn't think for a second he'd lay a hand on her, not even in the deepest throes of Mr. D's madness, so she wasn't worried per se.

Rather, she was worried he'd do something stupid and kill someone, or something, that wasn't supposed to be killed. So she did what she figured would be the best thing to do and attacked him with the intent to at least severely maim.

Percy had to back peddle rapidly as a powerful overhead blow came from his sister, who, as she had been taught, remained absolutely silent and was breathing through her nose.

Hastily, he raised his own aspis to stop a quick strike from his sister's own shield; she oh so loved to strike with the metal rimmed edges of, pretty much, everything.

In turn, he lashed out with a quick stab with his xiphos, finding its mark on her undefended thigh.

Andy impressed him with her near total lack of reaction to the already bruising blow. A small tightening around her eyes being the only tell. Instead, she lashed out with her own sword, a quick 3 stab combo, relying on her smaller stature to let her shield cover all of her and trusting the speed of her strikes to ensure that she'd be safe from any retaliation.

Perseus was seriously impressed. She was hitting hard and fast. Flowing from movement to movement. The second her combo ended, she struck him with a quick shoulder charge, knocking him back a bit, and immediately lashing out with another combo; this time incorporating both shield and sword into the chain.

Frankly, she was pushing him back, and a bit too quickly for his tastes. So, using his superior reach he did something incredibly stupid and therefore unexpected. He kicked his sister's shield with all his might.

The enchanted wood snapped in half, metal rivets flying off wildly. Andromeda retaliated by bringing her xiphos down onto his shield with enough force to snap both blade and aspis.

Both stepped back and discarded what was left of their shield. At this point, the wooden scraps would just slow their arms down. Percy shot a glance at her broken sword and quirked an eye. Andy smirked in response and switched the broken blade to a reverse grip.

Chuckling, Percy recommenced the engagement. With a quick, darting strike, he found himself surprised by the way Andromeda casually backhanded the strike away, reducing her blade to uselessness but knocking his own guard open, and bull rushed him.

Perseus felt his sister bodily lift him into the air and promptly slam him onto the ground, knocking the wind out of his gut.

Both of the demigods panting, Percy took a moment to look at his sister, now half straddling him. "Gods above and below, you are _strong_ girl."

Andy blushed. Somewhat from the position they were in, puberty was an equal opportunity bitch to everyone, but mostly from the comment. Her peers in the mortal world had often said she looked and smelled a bit funny, being tanned even in winter and always smelling like an ocean breeze. So compliments were a bit new for her. Especially after Gabe

Of course, Perseus and Aunt Medusa and Clarisse had all taken turns _handling_ the man. Her friends were nice.

Still, the rapid hip buck and armbar surprised her. In a matter of seconds she felt the ligaments in her beginning to tear. And, letting out a small grunt, tapped out. She could handle just about losing a limb, but there was no need to tear the limb from its socket in training. Putting it back in was a _bitch_. Even with her brother there to patch her up.

"I give bro. And before you ask, yeah, I got distracted at the compliment. Blame it on the position we were in."

Percy chuckled again. He quickly rolled to his feet and helped his sister get to her feet.

"Come on, let's get you out of your linothorax and see about the arm. Sorry about that, by the way. But if I don't force you to submit quickly, you tend to push yourself hard enough to actually break your own bones."

Andy waved her brothers apology away. She knew all too well about her propensity to maim herself in training. Blame it on the propensity of Greek monsters for rape. Greek immortals too.

She lifted the sleeve of her tunic with her good left hand. The shoulder joint was blue and purple and the skin had actually torn quite a bit. Grimacing, she settled down on a rock they sibling had appropriated for just this purpose.

Percy moved with quick, practiced movements, undoing the ties on his sister's cuirass in less than twenty seconds. His stomach still turned over when he remembered that time Chiron had offered him the pick of no less than 30 cuirass meant for children his sister's age or younger.

With a hiss from Andy he lifted the armor off of her and rolled her sleeve back up.

"Oops. I think I dislocated your shoulder. We'll need to pop it back in first. Otherwise the joint might catch one of the ligaments when we fix it."

Andy simply nodded her head, took a leather bit out one of her pockets, and clamped down on it. Percy moved his hands into position.

"Ready on 3. 1...2... 'POP'." Andy grunted a around the leather bit. Perseus patted her on her good arm and Andy rolled the already healing shoulder.

"Give me a second bro, and I'll be ready to go." Percy nodded and gathered up their things. Or, at least as much of the shattered pieces of destroyed gear he could. No way in hell was he hunting for the popped rivets from the training shields. Those suckers could take _hours_ to find.

Andy simply slipped her arms out of her tunic, she was wearing a sports bra underneath, and stepped into the lake. Hydrokinesis was really quite handy at getting one's self clean. Taking a deep breath she promptly focused on healing herself, something that was second nature by now, and with one last stretch, she turned about and walked out of the lake.

She was somewhat annoyed that she actually hadn't pushed her brother to sweat. It was kind of frustrating.

She knew he had around two years of experience over her, he'd told her as such when they started training and that she shouldn't feel disheartened, and yet she found that there was still a plateau separating them.

He was simply on another level when it came to skill.

She made up for it with sheer strength and natural ability, but for Andy it felt like a cheap way to go about it. After all, her big brother never once used the special abilities he had against her when training.

Because he didn't need them.

That is why she resolved to train even harder. She would become just as good as her big brother and then _he_ would be the one needing to rely on special powers to keep up with her.

And then he would beg her to teach him!

"Hey slowpoke, you're late for lunch!" She was dragged out of her pleasant daydreams by the sudden call, only to notice Perseus was already halfway to the mess hall.

"Wait for me!" She called out, introspection forgotten as she dashed towards her laughing brother.

Who then started walking away.

"No fair!" The cheater had a head start!

* * *

Andy always thought it was weird how Percy never made his offerings out loud. Instead, he'd quietly scrape a portion of his food in the brazier, close his eyes, mutter something under his breath, and get on with his meal.

Unlike other campers who seemed to relish on the thought of calling out their divine parent, she noticed her brother was much more reserved about, well, anything to do with Poseidon. Hell, he was actually brooding instead of eating right now!

She supposed it was to be expected given his heritage. But if he were angry on his mother's behalf, why bother to make an offering at all?

To be fair….it was possible he wasn't sacrificing to Poseidon at all. Andy shrugged, it wasn't really her place to pry. Percy had seen and done things that had given _her_ nightmares. So, after finishing her plate, she lightly punched her brother on the shoulder, getting his attention.

"Bro, stop moping so much. Aphrodite cabin already wants your babies and I think Clarisse is actually drooling into her food. Anyways, I'm gonna Silena and Piper. Clarisse is gonna want to catch up after lunch, but they can't stand each other. So I'm gonna just head the whole situation off and drag Clarisse to the ring for a match as an apology for going to the others first."

Andy turned around just as her brother fully turned his attention to her. And by the gods she wished she'd been a second slower. It always scared her when Perseus's….other side came out. And she saw it in his eyes. Cold and ancient, filled with power and the will to use it. It sent a shiver down her spine and the lizard part of her brain told her not to move, for fear a primal ur-predator was about to rip her limb from limb.

And then it was gone. Just like that, the son of Medusa and the Earthshaker, slayer of the first Perseus, from whom he'd claimed his name, was gone. In his place was her older brother, the young teen who adored her and lived to tease her.

"The two of you have fun, I think I'm gonna go for a swim and then hound some poor souls for a spar, gods know some of these lugs will get themselves killed if I don't whip them into shape."

"Not like you don't nearly kill them with your training, Percy." She sniped at him, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Oh? Well, I suppose if I left it up to you, we'd all be spending the day listening to what Chiron has to say, hmm?"

Andy blushed. "Dang it Percy, you promised not to bring that up anymore! I tell you about the one crush I have and you hang it over my head for the rest of my life!"

"I am your brother, you should have known better." He teased, relishing the embarrassed blush coloring her cheeks. God's above he missed when he was a child. All said, though. Being 'given' a second chance meant that maybe less people would end up dead this time around. 'And it's gonna start up soon enough. She's about the age I was when Luke stole the master bolt. This isn't gonna be easy, but maybe I can help her have a bit more fun than I did.'

Not being able to stop himself, he reached out and pulled her into a hug so tight it made Andy's bones creak.

It felt like being hugged by a constrictor. Still, the physical display of affection was enough to get her blushing again. Gods above and below, she loved and hated how touchy feely he could get sometimes. It had begun starting to get her….excited, Hades damned puberty. Now she'd probably end up sending sending Clarisse to Apollo cabin for healing.

When they lived with Gabe, long before Percy's powers had returned and he was still a mortal with just a touch of the divine, he'd held her for hours as children. Usually after Gabe had tried something. He'd caught some nasty beatings from Gabe over things he'd said and done. Of course, that changed quickly after he'd gotten his strength back. But, she was still used to him _always_ being there. _Always_ having someone to rely upon. Not that he coddled her. But he had, in all twelve years of her life, been _there_ , ready to quite literally kill or die for both her and their mother.

Suffice to say, she should probably be happy they were Greek.

Keeping it in the family is basically what they were expected to do; so it's not like Poseidon or Medusa would protest against it. Hell, Poseidon had screwed Demeter at least once. Even had kids by her. And he'd tried to marry Hestia too. Nevermind the number of relatives Zeus had gotten pregnant. Hell, Themis, Metis, and Hera were all blood kin to him!

With a sigh, and she really was glad they'd done this had happened after the other campers had left, she relaxed into him. Resting her head on his chest and just….letting go.

She _knew_ for a fact he still had nightmares about more than one fight. Downside of sharing rooms for most of their lives. And she knew that they were getting worse. Andy, no matter how much other people thought she was slow, wasn't stupid. By any stretch of the imagination. Based on Percy's actions over the last couple of days, and the intensity of their spars, something big was coming. And it wasn't going to be fun.

"So, what's coming? Percy, what's about to happen?"

Turning to look down at his Andromeda. He thought, for a moment, about lying to her. Trying not to burden her with what was to come. After all, what child should know that the Titans and Giants would rise? That Gaia herself would march on them and all the world would burn in her wake.

He dismissed it. Ignorance was neither bliss, nor safety. And he loved her far, far too much to wish it upon her.

"The King of the Titans stirs. A traitor will soon reveal themselves, the Camp will be divided, and many, many people are going to die. I….I fear that I haven't prepared you for this. Because, as much as I hate it, I think you're the Child of Prophecy."

Andromeda paled. She was very much aware of the _incredibly_ low survival rate of demigods in the first place. And the number of Greeks that had managed to avoid a 'bad end' could be counted on one hand.

One only needed to pick up a mythology book to know just how many demigods and heroes died painfully or met fates worse than death. Jason, Orpheus, Heracles with Megara, Bellerophon, Orion, Icarus, Daedalus, Achilles, Hector, Lysander, Ajax, most of the Argonauts. The list went on and on. Cadmus, Odysseus, and Perseus, for most of his life at least, were basically the only ones to actually live peacefully, and retain their sanity, for any period of time.

She clutched Perseus tighter. Well, she had one thing they didn't. She had an immortal son of _the_ gorgon and Poseidon backing her up. And unlike most of those poor bastards, Percy would never betray her. He'd never leave her to fend for herself. And, well, she was pretty sure he'd be able to win against even an Olympian. He was scary like that. But, at the same time, she knew he loved her above all others, even himself. His voice was never raised towards her in anger, he had never looked at any others, man or woman, aside from her with love and adoration. She was his whole world, his purpose to struggle on. As, in the end, not even their mother, Sally, could hope to understand him. He, the Great Destroyer, the Warrior Without Peer. And such was the burden he carried that not even Tartarus could break him. He, who had spent centuries there so that he might hold the Gates of Death against monster and titan alike.

It had taken Poseidon only a matter of days on the outside to see his son freed, but Kronus' wrath was great. And the God of Time had seen to it that Perseus would break or die. Neither had happened, but he had borne the marks of that war on his soul. Soon enough, as Gaia lay dying by his hand, Kronus himself had come back to the mortal world in the form of a wraith. And he had cursed Perseus, throwing him back in time, merely to spite the boy and see that he suffered further torment, that he not be able to rest.

Such was the spite of the King of the Titans, and such was the end of his story that he'd shared with her. He had downplayed his triumphs, focused on his failings more than he ought, but such was simply his way. And she loved him all the more for it.

She could not fathom as to why such a caring person had lived such a cursed life. She knew of his sins and of his failings, and yet she felt that he had earned a peaceful life. Still, a small part of her couldn't help but feel glad that the Fates guided his life the way they did.

Because they lead him to her.

It was selfish ,and perhaps unfair, and yet that was how she felt deep in her heart. What else was she to feel for the man whom had devoted himself to her so whole heartedly?

Indeed, the whole of the world was free to deride him as a monster and a freak of nature. But to her, well, to her he would always be the one man who had placed her above all else. Who, even amongst the Immortal Gods, could claim to have such a champion?

Hearing Andromeda take a few deep breaths, Percy relaxed the hug. He had been a bit forceful, but by the Immortals above and below, he was worried. He'd never been able to find his second mother in the fourteen years he'd lived in this time, the Lady Hecate telling him to wait, that they'd meet soon enough. But soon to an immortal could mean centuries.

Still, it was clear enough that Kronus would rise soon. His senses, long since trained and improve, could tell that much. So it would all come to a head soon enough.

Bending down, he kissed Andromeda on her brow, there was no blush, only worry and a bit of anxiety in her face. He was so very proud of her. Others would be panicking and running, screaming and cursing. She had simply steeled her resolve. He adored her beyond all measure. The child was pure and good, above all else. She was him, but born without his flaws. Even her temper was never turned upon a living thing. Where he had hated Gabe, and eventually taken his head and burned it in the name of Medusa, she had never held anything but pity for the man. Where he had raged against the gods, cursed their folly, and butchered his foes, she simply enjoyed combat for the exertion and sport it provided. She held all his loyalty and then some. Hell, she was even a better archer than he was the first time around. Maybe, just maybe, she could be spared the worst of what was to come.

"Go, Andromeda, go spend time with your friends. I'll show you more of the powers of Poseidon tonight. I think it is time you learned how to take a mist form and use it to travel."

Smiling, Andromeda took comfort from her protector's warmth, and the knowledge of his strength. With a final squeeze, she took off. Stopping, she turned around and smiled at him, saying one last thing.

"Don't worry Perseus. I trust you."

 **AN AtW: Thanks for reading guys. I really hope you enjoyed it. To be frank, I'm a sucker for cheesy romance. So, I tend to make mine a little (read: WAY) over the top. Heh heh.**

 **CW: Plot is better than Flat.**

 **AtW: Wha-? Oh, you're still in denial! That's fine. Don't worry guys, I don't do lemons (until I get bored) so you'll not have to worry about that particular bit of squick! Gore (and maybe a bit of vore, this is ancient Greek mythology afterall) is still on the table though!**

 **CW: The greeks liked to get freaky. Like, waaaay too much! Enough to make Alvor look like a respectable member of society. But to be fair, I'm not much better. I am thinking the next One Shot will be the contrary of this one, modern Percy in ancient times!**

 **AtW: And I'll be helping all the way. Bye for now and catch yah later!**

 **CW: Wyvern out!**


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